Your Blood Group is RhD-negative What does that mean for the care of you and your baby?
Irish Blood Transfusion Service; Wexford General Hospital Maternity Unit
This leaflet explains the standard of care given to pregnant women who have been identified as having an RhD-negative blood group.
When you attend hospital for the first time during your pregnancy you will have several blood samples taken. One is used to determine your blood group and check for antibodies; which is very important for the prevention of Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and the Newborn (HDFN). Your blood will be typed for the most clinically important ones: the ABO blood groups (O, A, B or AB) and the RhD blood group (RhD-positive or RhD-negative).
If you are RhD-negative you can potentially develop anti-D, an antibody your body can make against RhD-positive red blood cells (RBCs). Anti-D is the most clinically significant red blood cell antibody involved in HDFN.
Women who are RhD-positive will not develop anti-D.
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